THIS WEEK: Minot State returns home to the MSU Dome for a pair of NSIC North Division games, taking on Bemidji State Friday (6 p.m.) and Minnesota Crookston Saturday (4 p.m.)

RECORDS: MSU is 3-15 overall comes into the weekend with a 1-11 NSIC record, a game back of Bemidji State for seventh in the North Division. BSU is 2-10 in league play and 5-11 overall. UMC starts the weekend at 5-11 overall and 2-10 in NSIC games.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State is coached by Sheila Green Gerding. In her 22nd season at the helm of the Beaver women's basketball program, Green Gerding has amassed an impressive 360-272 overall record. Green Gerding is the Beavers all-time wins leader and has all 360 wins at MSU. Chelsea DeVille is in her second season as head coach at BSU and is 12-31 to start her career. UMC's head coach is Mike Roysland who begins the weekend with a 101-186 overall record all with the Golden Eagles

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. Live audio can be accessed online at kcjb.com. MSU provides live video – with Leif Bakken serving as the play-by-play announcer – and live stats as well as links to the live audio at msubeavers.com. Minot State Athletics also is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube with all feeds accessible at msubeavers.com/stayconnected.

RANKINGS: None of the three teams playing this weekend were ranked in either the WBCA Division II Top 25 poll or the D2SIDA Media Poll Central Region Poll.

RECENT HISTORY: Minot State battled both Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul on the road this past weekend but came up short. MSU trailed early before a late run closed the gap in a 71-59 loss at Minnesota State. Kari Clements led the way for the Beavers with 14 points, while Reina Strand had seven rebounds. It was a cold third quarter that upended MSU on night two, falling 63-53 at CSP. Madison Wald knocked down 18 points to lead the offense and Krystal Flowers finished with a double-double of 11 rebounds and 10 points, her third double up of the year. BSU split a pair of games at home last weekend, falling in a tight contest with South Division leader Sioux Falls 55-47 before blowing out Southwest Minnesota State 82-66. Sierra Senske scored 13 and 19 points respectively to lead BSU. UMD couldn't duplicate the feat, falling both nights as SMSU knocked off the Golden Eagles 75-66 Friday and USF got the win Saturday 69-63. Alison Hughes scored 24 in the loss to SMSU, while Isieoma Odor finished with 19 points and six rebounds Saturday.

ALL-TIME AT A GLANCE: The Beavers enjoy a lead in the all-time series with both teams. MSU has a six-game winning streak on Bemidji State and is 10-4 overall and holds a 13-5 lead on UMC dating back to when both were a member of the NDCAC.

LAST TIME OUT: Minot State split two games on the road last season in February at UMC and BSU. On Friday, the Beavers were outscored 21-11 in a 78-62 loss at UMC. Sarah Lester finished with 15 points and four rebounds. Alison Hughes led all scorers with 17 for UMC. On Saturday, MSU outscored Bemidji State 25-15 in the fourth quarter to rally for a 66-58 win. Savana Kingsbury finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead four MSU players in double figures. Aimee Pelzer also scored 18 to pace BSU.

NOTING THE BSU BEAVERS: Bemidji State has won two of its last four games as it snapped an eight-game NSIC losing streak Jan. 7 with a win over Minnesota Duluth… Seven different BSU players have led the team in scoring on the season…Aimee Pelzer is one of those players as she leads the team with a 14.3 scoring average, hitting a team-high 40 3-pointers this season… Sierra Senske is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 per game and leads the Beavers with a 6.9 rebounding average… Sydney Arrington has nearly as many offensive rebounds (24) as she does defensive ones (26)… Despite being 5-11 on the season, the Beavers are just a minus-2.6 in scoring average, trailing their opponents by 41 points.

NOTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Minnesota Crookston came out of the gates slow, starting 0-8 on the year and 0-4 in NSIC play. Since a Dec. 15, 2016 win at home over Bemidji State, UMC is 4-4… Alison Hughes has been the Golden Eagles go-to player, averaging 16.5 points per game, leading the team in scoring in nine games… Isiemoma Odor is the team's rebounding leader at 7.4 per game, pulling down 38 on the offensive end to go along with 13.1 points per game… Hughes has hit an impressive 75 of 80 free throws for a 93.8 percent clip, second in the nation to Olivia Mabry of Mississippi College, who has taken 40 fewer free throws.

ALL-AROUND GAME: MSU sophomore Kari Clements continues to lead the team in scoring, hitting at a 10.9 points per game mark, but she is also the team's leader in assists (47) and steals (34). She is second on the squad in 3-pointers made (25) and free throw percentage (86.4). He 3.2 rebounding average is fifth on the team.  

GABBY GETTING INTO THE FLOW: MSU sophomore Gabby Wilkinson has played in seven games since becoming eligible after transferring from the University of Mary. Her time on the court and her productivity have steadily rose as well. She finished the weekend with 13 points and four rebounds, including a nine-point effort, her MSU career high, against Minnesota State playing 22 minutes. She comes into the weekend with a 3.6 per game scoring average.

STRANDING TALL: Minot State has used multiple combinations in the post and due to injuries, will be mixing it up even more this week. Freshman Reina Strand has taken on some new minutes and has been a solid contributor over the past two weeks. She finished with four points and a career-high seven rebounds in 22 minutes at Minnesota State Friday.

BY THE NUMBERS

3: Missed free throws in 25 attempts for freshman Haley Hildenbrand. She leads the Beavers with an 88.0 percentage and is one of three Beavers hitting 80 or better.
 
27: Three-pointers by Kori Eurich to lead MSU on the season. Eurich has made 27 of 70 for 38.6 percent on the season.

45.9: Field goal percentage by junior Krystal Flowers to lead MSU.